LOS ANGELES, Calif., March 14, 2017 – Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced the company is now sponsoring the California State University, Northridge’s (CSUN) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Clinic. The Clinic offers free tax preparation services to eligible taxpayers in the San Fernando Valley. Services will be offered through April 15, 2017.

Under the supervision of experienced tax practitioners, trained and certified CSUN students provide tax preparation help to low income taxpayers. A photo of a CSUN student providing tax preparation services is available here.

As part of the VITA program, volunteers will ensure all eligible individuals and families have the opportunity to apply for SoCalGas’ California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program, which provides a 20 percent discount on  monthly natural gas bills for income-qualified households. When approved within 90 days of starting new gas service, eligible households will also receive a $15 discount on the Service Establishment Charge.

Over 1.5 million customers are enrolled in CARE throughout SoCalGas’ service territory.

"We are pleased to sponsor the student VITA volunteers and appreciate their willingness to help our low-income community with their tax returns and ensuring that those who qualify get the appropriate discounts and services SoCalGas offers," said Dan Rendler, director of customer programs and assistance for SoCalGas and CSUN alumni.

“Thanks to the generous support of companies like SoCalGas, CSUN’s VITA clinic provides free tax preparation services to over 3,600 low-income taxpayers in twelve locations throughout the San Fernando Valley and provides students with a quality learning experience in the field of taxation,” said accounting professor Rafi Efrat, director of the CSUN VITA Clinic and the university’s Bookstein Chair in Taxation.

Customers can learn more about SoCalGas’ customer assistance programs and apply today at socalgas.com (search “ASSISTANCE”) or call 1-800-252-0259 (available in English and Spanish). Eligible taxpayers may visit vita.csun.edu to schedule an appointment for free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Clinic.

About Southern California Gas Co.
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has been delivering clean, safe, and reliable natural gas to its customers for 150 years. It is the nation’s largest natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 21.6 million consumers connected through 5.9 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company’s service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border. SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.